Thornhill Manor’s community centre has a fresh new look. Thanks to a partnership between residents and Rand Aid, the space has been transformed into a modern, welcoming place for meetings, activities and social gatherings.
“For a while, the Thornhill Manor community centre was looking a bit tired,” says village manager Shaun Victor. “A few of our favourite spots, like the meeting room, had been ‘borrowed’ for other uses. But thanks to a great partnership between the village committee and Rand Aid, the space has been completely transformed.”
From the retirement village’s Man Cave crew of residents contributing to the hands-on work to a beautiful hand-painted mural, this wasn’t just a renovation; it was a community project that brought everyone together. The centre hosts a wide variety of activities, including Bridge, Rummikub, Scrabble, Bingo, movie nights, major sports screenings and occupational health sessions. Larger events such as exercise classes, line dancing and Sundowner evening dinners are accommodated in the main hall in a separate building.
A multi-purpose makeover
The community centre is the heart of the village’s social life. Over time, however, the soft furnishings, furniture and finishes had become tired and outdated.
“The renovation aimed to remedy several problems,” says Maureen Stewart, a village committee member who served on the décor team. “The furniture and finishes needed modernising, and a previous reorganisation had left us without a dedicated space for small meetings.
“Residents were consulted at all stages of the planning and implementation of the project, and many good ideas were incorporated in the final design,” she adds.
Strategic redesign
The project’s core objective was to reclaim the village’s Indaba Room for meetings. To achieve this, a portion of the main room was partitioned off to create a professional, permanent salon for the beautician, Christina Musasa, along with a new storeroom for games, puzzles and other equipment. A small service bar was retained for refreshments at communal or private functions.
This functional shift was a collaborative financial effort. Residents approved a R100 000 budget from their village fund for aesthetic upgrades, while Rand Aid funded and managed the structural work, including drywall partitioning, re-tiling, and repainting of the centre, kitchen, library and meeting room. Lighting was also upgraded throughout.
Resident hands-on help
The upgrade, which started in September, relied heavily on village talent. The Man Cave team removed and reinstalled library shelves and stripped out old fittings to help speed up the work of outside contractors.
On the creative side, resident Joanne Jourdan contributed a custom mural that has become a highlight of the room. The décor specialist and resident team replaced old dining chairs with modern conference-style seating, re-upholstered lounge chairs, added new side and coffee tables, installed block-out roller blinds and modern lighting throughout.
A rejuvenated space
The result is a brighter, more welcoming environment that has been warmly received by the community.
“Residents now have a fresh, cheerful place to relax and enjoy time together,” says Shaun Victor. “The modern, clean lines of the finishes have rejuvenated the whole area, and freeing up the Indaba Room has restored a much-needed venue for our smaller gatherings.”
